Maybe overdid it...

I have just finished the first two display cages I've ever built. I've been working on them in my spare time for maybe a year and a half, but planning them much longer. They're all hand-built sealed wood with foam insulation carved for scenery. I used the led lights that come on a spool for lighting, and made my own heat panels by sandwiching heat tape between porcelain tiles sealed with silicone. A light switch and a rheostat are built into the front. The first cage has a generic jungle/rock-outcrop theme, with multiple caves and a high roosting space. It all disassembles and comes out for cleaning. The second cage is a jungle of Pandora, Avatar themed cage, using blue and purple toned plants. There are Unobtainium deposits, and, yes, it glows at night. It's daylight now, so I can't get pics of the glowing forest yet. I even painted scenery on the sides and background like you see at zoos, but it doesn't show up well in the pics. Comments, questions, suggestions for improvement welcome. Jim

Wow... Those are stunning!

Holy Cow! Those are absolutely beautiful. I don't think you overdid it at all. Very aesthetically pleasing.

Those are the nicest enclosures I've seen. Seriously.

I'm speechless. Those are gorgeous. I'd love to hear more about how you made them and how you find them once you're using them... because you know some of us are going to be inspired to give this a try now!

Totally amazing. I'm inspired. Now all I need is talent, lol. You could probably make a business out of that if you wanted to!

-_- Why must you be so far away that I cannot hire you to make display cages for me????

Very, very nice!

Thank you all. I wish I had more time to spend working on enclosures, but there are just too many other things needing done. I have a spreadsheet of ideas for decor themes. I don't even have room for all the ideas I've come up with so far! I would be happy to share in how I've done various things, what worked, what didn't. I have spent so long thinking about the various aspects of these enclosures that I think I've come up with some decent ideas, but time will tell. I do realize that cleaning will be an issue. It all comes apart in sections for cleaning, but that doesn't mean it will be easy. That's what I meant when I mentioned overdoing it. I'd love to make and sell these, and I know there would be at least some market for them, but if I can only make two a year, it won't be much of a business. I'll have to settle for "inspiring" someone else, which is still pretty nice!

Any details of methods of construction, materials, philosophy of design, etc., would be appreciated.

IMO what you have done is professional quality. Again congrats on a job well done!